Shoulder Injury Might Sideline CSUN's Dickmann for Season

Debbie Dickmann, a sophomore right-hander who led Cal State Northridge to the NCAA Division II softball championship last season, might miss the rest of this season because of a shoulder injury, Coach Gary Torgeson said Wednesday.

Dickmann, an All-American as a freshman, dislocated her throwing shoulder during a team cheer after an infield warmup drill. She also missed the start of this season because of a stress fracture in her shin bone.

"She fell on her shoulder, it dislocated, then snapped back in," Torgeson said. Dickmann, who pitched with a slightly dislocated shoulder as a senior at Newbury Park High, pitched in pain last weekend in a tournament at the University of Arizona.

Dickmann appeared in four games--she won two and lost one--and pitched 18 innings but was not as sharp as usual. Twice, Torgeson said, Dickmann asked to be taken out after pitching the first three or four innings.

"It's an old injury and she's played with it before, but I'm afraid she won't be able to do it this time," Torgeson said.

Last season, Dickmann was 24-3 with 17 shutouts, including a no-hitter in the national championship game. Northridge opens California Collegiate Athletic Assn. play March 5 against UC Riverside.